Know how to receive emails from Gmail in Outlook 2016 on your Windows computer or Mac. If you don't have Outlook installed on your computer, you will need to purchase and install Microsoft Office 365 first.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Enable IMAP in Gmail
Step 1. Open Gmail
Go to this page in your computer's web browser.
- If you are not signed in to your Gmail account, enter your email address and password before continuing.
- If you are logged in to the wrong account, you will be able to change your Gmail account by clicking on the profile picture in the upper right corner of the page, clicking on Add an account then by entering the email address and password of the account.
Step 2. Click the settings button
This button is located at the top right of the page and opens a drop-down menu.
Step 3. Select Settings
This option is in the middle of the drop-down menu and opens the settings page.
Step 4. Open the Transfer and POP / IMAP tab
It's at the top of the settings page.
Step 5. Check the Enable IMAP box
This box is in the section IMAP access from the settings page.
This box may already be checked. If so, skip ahead to the Enable 2-Step Verification section of this article right away
Step 6. Click Save Changes
It's the gray button at the bottom of the page. Click on it to enable IMAP for your Gmail inbox. This will allow emails from your inbox to appear in Outlook later.
Part 2 of 5: turn on two-step verification for Gmail
Step 1. Click on the Google apps icon
This is the icon ⋮⋮⋮ at the top right of the Gmail page. It opens a drop-down menu.
Step 2. Select My Account
This shield icon is in the drop-down menu and opens your Google Account page.
Step 3. Click Login & Security
This is the header on the left of the page.
Step 4. Scroll down and click Two-Step Verification
You will find this option on the right side of the page, towards the bottom.
Step 5. Click START
It's the blue button at the bottom right of the page.
You may have to scroll slightly to see this button
Step 6. Enter your password when prompted
Type the password you use to log in to your email address.
Step 7. Click NEXT
This button is at the bottom of the page.
Step 8. Select TRY
This button is located at the bottom right of the page and allows you to send a notification to your phone number.
- If you don't see a number listed on this page, you'll need to sign in to your Gmail account in your Google app (on iPhone) or sign in to your Google account in your phone's settings (on Android).
- On an iPhone, you will need to have the Google app downloaded. It is available for free in the App Store.
Step 9. Follow the on-screen instructions
Open Command Prompt on your phone by sliding it to the right if your device is locked and tapping it if it's unlocked. Then press YES Where AUTHORIZED.
Step 10. Make sure your phone number is correct
Check the phone number at the top of the page and if it matches the recovery number you want to use, you can continue.
If the phone number is incorrect, change it before continuing
Step 11. Click SEND
It's the blue button at the bottom right of the page. Google will send a confirmation code to the number you provided.
Step 12. Enter your verification code
Retrieve the code from your phone's text messaging app and type it in the field in the middle of the page.
Step 13. Select NEXT
You will find this blue button at the bottom of the page.
Step 14. Click ACTIVATE
This blue button is on the right of the page and allows you to activate the two-step verification of your Gmail account. Now that two-step verification is enabled, you'll need to create an app password for your Gmail account.
Part 3 of 5: Create an app password for Gmail
Step 1. Click the Google applications icon ⋮⋮⋮ again
It's located at the top right of the Gmail page and opens a drop-down menu.
Step 2. Select My Account
This shield icon can be found in the drop-down menu. Click on it to open your Google Account page.
Step 3. Click Login & Security
This option is on the left of the page.
Step 4. Scroll down and click App Password
You will find this option on the right side of the page under the section where you have enabled two-step verification.
Step 5. Enter your account password when prompted
Type the password you use to sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 6. Click NEXT
This button is located below the password text field.
Step 7. Click Select Application
This gray text field is on the left of the page and opens a drop-down menu.
Step 8. Select Other (custom name)
This option is at the bottom of the drop-down menu and opens a text field.
Step 9. Enter a name
Type Outlook (or something like that) in the text field.
Step 10. Click GENERATE
It's a blue button on the right side of the page. Click on it to create a 12 letter code on the right side of the page. You can use this code to sign in to Outlook.
Step 11. Copy your application password
Click and drag your mouse cursor over all of the code. Press Ctrl + C (on Windows) or Command + C (on Mac) to copy the code.
- You can also right click on the selected code and choose To copy.
Part 4 of 5: Add Gmail Account to Outlook
Step 1. Open the Outlook application on your computer
The Outlook application icon looks like a blue box with a white "O" on it and a white envelope behind.
- If you're not signed in to Outlook, enter your primary Microsoft email address, enter your password if prompted, and follow any additional instructions.
- The Outlook application is different from the Outlook website.
Step 2. Click File
This option is located at the top left of the Outlook application window. Click on it to open a context menu.
- If you don't see File at the top left of the Outlook window, this means that you are on the Outlook website or that you are not using a version of Outlook that allows you to add accounts.
- On a Mac, click Tools at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Select Add Account
This option is at the top left of the page File Outlook and opens a pop-up window.
- On a Mac, you will need to click on Accounts in the drop-down menu Tools.
Step 4. Enter your Gmail address
Type the email address of the Gmail account you want to synchronize with Outlook.
Step 5. Click Connect
This option is located below the text field where you entered your email address.
Step 6. Enter your application password
Click on the text field Password then press Ctrl + V (on Windows) or Command + V (on Mac) to enter the app password you copied earlier.
- You can also right click on the text field Password then select To stick on in the drop-down menu that opens.
Step 7. Click Connect
This option is at the bottom of the window. Your Gmail account will be integrated into your Outlook application.
Step 8. Select OK when prompted
This means that your Gmail account is now connected to your Outlook application. You should see your account name on the left side of the Outlook window.
- You may need to uncheck the box first. Also set up Outlook on my phone.
Part 5 of 5: Import Google Contacts
Step 1. Download your Gmail contacts
Open this page in your web browser, sign in with your Gmail address and password if prompted, then follow these steps:
- click the box in the upper left corner of the page to select all contacts
- open the drop-down menu More
- select Export in the drop-down menu that appears
- Check the box All contacts
- Check the box Outlook CSV format (if you are using a Mac, check the box instead VCard format)
- click on Export at the bottom of the window
Step 2. Open the Outlook window
You need to open Outlook to be able to import your contacts inside.
- On a Mac, click the downloaded vCard file instead, click File in the upper left corner of the screen, select Open with, click on the option Outlook and follow the on-screen instructions. This will import your Gmail contacts.
- If you closed the Outlook app, reopen it before continuing.
Step 3. Click File
This option is located at the top left of the Outlook window. The menu File will open.
Step 4. Select Open and Export
You will find this option in the menu File. It opens the Import and Export page.
Step 5. Click Import / Export
This option is in the middle of the page and opens the Import and Export wizard.
Step 6. Select Import from another program or file
This option is in the middle of the window.
Step 7. Click Next
This is the button at the bottom right of the window.
Step 8. Choose Comma Separated Values
This option is at the top of the window.
Step 9. Click Next
Step 10. Select Browse
This option is located at the top right of the window.
Step 11. Select the downloaded contacts file
Go to the location of the contacts file you downloaded and click on it to select it.
Step 12. Click Open
This option is located at the bottom right of the window. Your contacts file will be imported.
Step 13. Click Next
You can also select an option to import duplicates (for example Allow the creation of duplicates) in the middle of the window before continuing.
Step 14. Select the Contacts folder
Scroll up or down to the folder Contacts in the window then click on it to select it.
- You will find the file Contacts at the top of the window.
- The folder Contacts does not look like a normal folder.
Step 15. Click Next
Step 16. Click Finish
This button is at the bottom of the window and allows you to import your contacts into Outlook.
- When finished, you will be able to view your Outlook contacts by clicking Address Book in the section To research at the top of the Outlook window.
Advice
- Two-step verification is Google's version of two-factor authentication. This means that every time you log into your Gmail account on a new computer, you will have to verify the connection with the code sent to your phone.
- The most recent version of Google Contacts does not export contacts and you will need to use the old version to export your contact list.
Warnings
- Marking messages as "read" in the Outlook application does not always mark them as "read" in the Gmail inbox.
- Gmail does not accept emails with.exe files as attachments. It also imposes a 25MB limit per attachments.
